THE preservation of the environment is being given added focus by the Jamaica 4-H Movement, as the 65-year-old organisation has fully integrated a programme known as the Environmental Challenge into its curriculum of activities for members.

According to public relations officer at the Jamaica 4-H Club, Karelle McCormack, the Environmental Challenge began as a pilot programme in 2003 and was first tested in seven parishes – St Catherine, St Mary, St Thomas, St Elizabeth, St Ann, Clarendon and Hanover.

“It was started because we saw where the whole issue of environment was becoming more popular and we thought with 4-H trying to move with the times, it would be very appropriate to introduce it to the 4-H Club,” she told JIS News.

Funding for the programme initially came from the Canada Green Fund and was in the region of $500,000. Subsequent monetary support has been given by the Ridge to Reef project, and currently, the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica assists the programme with funding.

McCormack recalled that while there were teething pains in the pilot stage of the programme’s implementation, “I think that it was given a fairly good success rating, basically because of the interest that was generated at the time”.

Given the warm reception and positive feedback to the pilot programme by 4-H clubbites, the public relations officer said that the environmental challenge project has since been extended to include the island’s other parishes and now forms a component of the 4-H Club’s overall plan.

The Environmental Challenge is operational in all 14 parishes. “We have about 10 groups per parish, in the senior and junior categories and they are asked to look at the six challenges, hence the name of the programme,” McCormack said.

The six challenges include ‘creative performance’, which means that clubbites are required to develop a skit or song looking at a particular theme; they are called on to conduct a research project; go out and tell others about what they have learnt; participate in a service project, especially in their particular communities; have an active project within their club; and go on a field trip.

The focus of this year’s challenge is on drought management. Giving a rationale for the selection of the theme, she said, “One of the reasons why we are doing this is because naturally at this time of the year, the time gets drier and we are more prone to bush fire and we had a lot of that happening last year, so this year we are concentrating on drought management”.

Environmental issues examined in previous years have included solid waste management and caring for trees.

She noted that the programme was now fully integrated into the 4-H curriculum.

“Before we used to have separate events… now what we have done is that we have fully integrated (it) into our parish achievement days, which start this month and run until April, and our National Achievement Day, which we are going to have on April 28 at Denbigh, so you won’t see a general project display. Separate and apart from the environmental challenge display, everything will be under one display,” she explained.

It is expected that all clubs participating in their respective achievement days should also have an environmental challenge, she added.

McCormack told JIS News that submissions are currently being made as all clubs are now undergoing intense training for their respective parish achievement days.

Entrants in this year’s environmental challenge competition will receive medals, certificates, trophies and prizes.

The Jamaica 4-H Club currently has 65,000 members on its records islandwide, but as the movement carries out a recruitment drive to boost its membership, this number is expected to be improved over time.